Global Brain

Global Brain is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm founded in 1998, specializing in early-stage investments across various sectors, including e-commerce, software, gaming, media, IoT, education, entertainment, and fintech. The firm has expanded its investment activities to the US and Asia, targeting series A-stage technology companies. Since its inception, Global Brain has invested in approximately 30 companies, achieving seven initial public offerings and seven mergers and acquisitions. The firm supports its portfolio companies by providing not only capital but also strategic guidance, partnerships, and team-building resources to help them reach their milestones. Global Brain is particularly adept in e-commerce, operating a platform called EC-PLANET, which encompasses several group companies, including a large online sports goods store and a logistics firm offering comprehensive fulfillment services. This network, along with Global Brain's connections to established Japanese companies, facilitates market entry for US and Asian businesses into Japan.

Kaori Akiba

Principal, Corporate Management Group

Tatsunori Arai

Director, Investment Group

Megumi Asatsuma

Corporate Management Group, Director

Anjani Bansal

Partner, India Office Representative

Brooke Beers

Partner

Takuji Chida

Director, Investment Groups

Hogil Doh

General Partner, Investment Group

Thomas Duong

Principal

Brian Flucht

Partner and Head, US Division

Daisuke Furukawa

Venture Partner

Hajime Furuya

Venture Partner

Kenji Hayashi

Principal, Investment Group

Shohei Hayashi

Partner

Harue Hayashi

Partner and Vice Chief Fund Management Officer

Yosuke Hirai

Director

Joopyo Hong

Partner Investment Group

Naoki Horie

Principal, Investment Group

Jang Hyeokjin

Principal, Investment Group

Shohei Ichimiya

Partner, US Office

Nozomu Ikuta

Principal

Kotona Inaida

Director, Fund Management Group

Tomoaki Ishikure

Investment Group Partner

Yoshinari Ito

Venture Partner

Yuki Ito

Director

Hiroyuki Izumi

Partner, Investment Group

Ken Kajii

General Partner, Investment Group

Naoki Kamimaeda

Partner and Europe Division Head

Masaru Kaneshiro

Principal

Daisuke Kashiro

Partner, Investment Group

Kirin Kato

Principal

Takashi Kato

Partner, San Francisco Office Representative

Masaya Kawakami

Partner

Hiroyuki Kawamoto

Principal

Ko Kawaragi

Director

Maiko Kayata

Principal

ByeongJin Kim

Principal, Fund Management Group

Jungyong Kim

Principal, Investment Group

Riichiro Kimura Ph.D

Director, Investment Group

Kenta Kitsuka

General Partner

Issei Kokubu

Principal, Investment Group

Yoshiomi Kubota

Principal

Jinya Kurita

Director

KyungHun Lee

Partner, South Korea Office Representative

YingQi Liang(Joy)

Principal, Investment Group

Chukaku Lin

Principal

Atsushi Matsuda

Venture Partner

Akira Matsumoto

Principal, Investment Group

Natsumi Matsuoka

Principal

Hiroshi Mihayashi

Principal

Tomoko Minagawa

Director, Investment Group

Ai Minamizaki

Principal, Investment Group

Shigeru Mitarai

Principal

Kazuhiko Miyama

General Partner

Shuhei Mori

Principal

Seiichiro Mukai

Director

Satoko Murata

Principal, Investment Group

Kohtaro Nagawa

Director, Investment Group

Tasuke Nakagawa

Partner / M&A

Mitsutaka Nakao

Principal, Investment Group

Shien Nakayama

Director, Investment Group

Yuya Namiki

Director

Ying Jian Ng

Director, Investment Group

Daisuke Nishida

Partner, Investment Group

Akiko Noguchi

Director, Corporate Management Group

Rina Obi

Investment Director

Sho Ohtani

Principal, Investment Group

Tetsui Okada

Director, Investments Group

Mayu Okamoto

Principal

Akane Okuyama

Director

Shingo Otaki

Partner, Investment Group

Naoki Sadakuni

Venture Partner

Enen Sai

Principal, Fund Management Group

Kazuki Sakuragawa

Partner and Editor in Chief, Corporate Management Group

Masumi Sato

Principal

Naoki Sato

Principal, Investment Group

Tomoki Sekiguchi

Principal

Rie Shibata

Director, Fund Management Group

Takeru Shigemura

Director

Miku Shimamura

Principal

Hiroshi Shimazu

Managing Director

Masamune Shin

General Partner, Investment Group

Ayu Shinoyama

CFO and Board Member

Chisa Shinsakaue

Director

Divyansh Singh

Principal

Hiroto Sorita

Director, Investment Group

Sachiko Sugiura

Principal

Yusuke Suzuki

Partner

Kazumo Tachibana

Director

Mana Takabayashi

Director, Investment Group

Hiroki Takai

Director, Investment Group London Office

Toko Takao

Principal

Hideyuki Tanaka

Principal

Marika Tazaki

Partner

Hirotaka Togashi

Director, Investment Group

Haruka Tsujii

Principal

Atsushi Ueda

Principal, Investment Group

Takuya Ukai

Principal, Investment Group

Tetsuya Urimoto

Director, Investment Group

Noriko Usui

Partner and Chief Fund Management Officer

Keita Washizu

Principal

Hirokazu Watanabe

Partner

Keita Wazhizu

Principal, Investment Group

Masao Yamada

Senior Partner, Investment Groups

Kazunori Yamaguchi

Partner, Investment Group

Ryozo Yamamoto

Partner, Investment Group

Michiko Yamazaki

Principal, Investment Group

Isao Yasuda

Senior Partner

Takuro Yoda

Principal, Investment Group

Sayaka Yoshino

Director

Miku Yoshio

Partner, Investment Group

Yasuhiko Yurimoto

Founder and President and CEO & Board Member

Miyazawa Yusuke

Venture Partner

Lusheng Zou

Director, Investment Group

Past deals in Video Streaming

WHYNOT Media

Series C in 2021
WHYNOT Media Co., Ltd. is a South Korean company established in 2016 that specializes in developing and operating a video content streaming platform. The company focuses on producing and distributing a variety of entertainment content, including web series, short films, and web dramas. Notable titles in its portfolio include "Secret Crushes," "Always a Boyfriend," "Never a Boyfriend," and "Office Watch." By tailoring its content to fit specific cultural backgrounds, WHYNOT Media aims to enhance viewer engagement and accessibility, thereby creating a diverse range of entertainment options for its audience.

WHYNOT Media

Series C in 2021
WHYNOT Media Co., Ltd. is a South Korean company established in 2016 that specializes in developing and operating a video content streaming platform. The company focuses on producing and distributing a variety of entertainment content, including web series, short films, and web dramas. Notable titles in its portfolio include "Secret Crushes," "Always a Boyfriend," "Never a Boyfriend," and "Office Watch." By tailoring its content to fit specific cultural backgrounds, WHYNOT Media aims to enhance viewer engagement and accessibility, thereby creating a diverse range of entertainment options for its audience.

SHOWROOM

Series B in 2020
SHOWROOM Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that operates a live video streaming platform, primarily focused on Japanese idols and voice actors. Founded in 2015, it functions as a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd. The platform allows users to watch live shows, engage in real-time communication through features like gifting and comments, and offers a diverse range of video content across various genres. SHOWROOM aims to create an environment where users' efforts are recognized and rewarded, enhancing the entertainment experience through professional-quality streaming and innovative features like virtual and augmented reality.

SHOWROOM

Venture Round in 2020
SHOWROOM Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that operates a live video streaming platform, primarily focused on Japanese idols and voice actors. Founded in 2015, it functions as a subsidiary of DeNA Co., Ltd. The platform allows users to watch live shows, engage in real-time communication through features like gifting and comments, and offers a diverse range of video content across various genres. SHOWROOM aims to create an environment where users' efforts are recognized and rewarded, enhancing the entertainment experience through professional-quality streaming and innovative features like virtual and augmented reality.

Safie

Venture Round in 2019
Safie is a cloud-based video asset management company that specializes in the development and operation of a video-recording platform. The company focuses on security and surveillance solutions, as well as corporate operations and marketing applications. By integrating smart security cameras and Internet of Things (IoT) devices into its platform, Safie provides users with comprehensive tools to manage and utilize their video content effectively.

4DReplay

Venture Round in 2019
4DReplay, Inc. is a company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing advanced visual processing systems for creating dynamic, four-dimensional videos. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on producing time-slicing videos that deliver highlights from any time and angle with exceptional detail. Its innovative technology integrates a network of 4K cameras and user-friendly video editing software, allowing for multi-angle and time-sliced video production across various sectors, including professional sports, commercials, and entertainment. This system enables clients to remotely control and synchronize high-speed visual processing, facilitating an enhanced viewing experience that allows audiences to access video content from multiple perspectives on mobile devices.

One Media

Venture Round in 2019
One Media, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company founded in 2014 that specializes in visual storytelling through animated messages. The company focuses on transforming messages into engaging video content, managing the entire process in-house. This includes video distribution, viewing data analysis, and creative planning and production. By integrating these services, One Media aims to deliver video content that provides unique value to its clients.

Moi

Series A in 2019
Moi Corporation, founded in February 2012 and based in Tokyo, Japan, operates TwitCasting, a mobile and social live streaming service designed to foster real-time communication and connection among users. Originally developed by Mr. Akamatsu as a spin-off from Side Feed, TwitCasting allows individuals to stream and share live video content while engaging in real-time chats with their audience. Users can follow preferred broadcasters and receive notifications for upcoming streams, while broadcasters have the option to save and publish their streams for later viewing. In 2014, the platform introduced a feature called "Collabo," enabling multiple users to broadcast together in a single stream, accommodating both mobile and desktop users. TwitCasting has seen significant growth, particularly among younger demographics, with a user base that has expanded rapidly, reaching 7.5 million by September 2014. While it primarily attracts users from Asia, interest is also increasing in regions such as the United States and Latin America.

Moi

Venture Round in 2019
Moi Corporation, founded in February 2012 and based in Tokyo, Japan, operates TwitCasting, a mobile and social live streaming service designed to foster real-time communication and connection among users. Originally developed by Mr. Akamatsu as a spin-off from Side Feed, TwitCasting allows individuals to stream and share live video content while engaging in real-time chats with their audience. Users can follow preferred broadcasters and receive notifications for upcoming streams, while broadcasters have the option to save and publish their streams for later viewing. In 2014, the platform introduced a feature called "Collabo," enabling multiple users to broadcast together in a single stream, accommodating both mobile and desktop users. TwitCasting has seen significant growth, particularly among younger demographics, with a user base that has expanded rapidly, reaching 7.5 million by September 2014. While it primarily attracts users from Asia, interest is also increasing in regions such as the United States and Latin America.

Mirrativ

Venture Round in 2019
Mirrativ borrows the familiar user interaction models that have been pioneered by to live-streaming services Periscope and Meerkat. Streams are shared with a user’s followers, and those watching can comment on what they see and add stars to show their appreciation. Right now, Mirrativ isn’t saving broadcasts though, so there’s no way to revisit streams once they are over.

4DReplay

Venture Round in 2017
4DReplay, Inc. is a company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing advanced visual processing systems for creating dynamic, four-dimensional videos. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on producing time-slicing videos that deliver highlights from any time and angle with exceptional detail. Its innovative technology integrates a network of 4K cameras and user-friendly video editing software, allowing for multi-angle and time-sliced video production across various sectors, including professional sports, commercials, and entertainment. This system enables clients to remotely control and synchronize high-speed visual processing, facilitating an enhanced viewing experience that allows audiences to access video content from multiple perspectives on mobile devices.

4DReplay

Series A in 2017
4DReplay, Inc. is a company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing advanced visual processing systems for creating dynamic, four-dimensional videos. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on producing time-slicing videos that deliver highlights from any time and angle with exceptional detail. Its innovative technology integrates a network of 4K cameras and user-friendly video editing software, allowing for multi-angle and time-sliced video production across various sectors, including professional sports, commercials, and entertainment. This system enables clients to remotely control and synchronize high-speed visual processing, facilitating an enhanced viewing experience that allows audiences to access video content from multiple perspectives on mobile devices.

Mist Technologies

Venture Round in 2015
Mist Technologies, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in content delivery services, leveraging peer-to-peer data delivery technology. Founded in 2013, the company offers a range of products designed to enhance video playback and content sharing. Its offerings include the Mist Inline Player for video playback on mobile devices, a 360° Sphere Video Player for immersive video experiences, and a Video Thumbnailer that creates lightweight video thumbnails. Additionally, Mist Technologies provides MistCDN, a browser-based content delivery solution, and Webdrop, a tool for file exchange between browsers on the same local area network. As a subsidiary of Adways Inc., Mist Technologies focuses on enabling faster and more efficient content distribution among users in close geographical proximity.

Live Aid

Venture Round in 2015
LiveAID is an internet based company.

Mist Technologies

Venture Round in 2014
Mist Technologies, Inc. is a Tokyo-based company that specializes in content delivery services, leveraging peer-to-peer data delivery technology. Founded in 2013, the company offers a range of products designed to enhance video playback and content sharing. Its offerings include the Mist Inline Player for video playback on mobile devices, a 360° Sphere Video Player for immersive video experiences, and a Video Thumbnailer that creates lightweight video thumbnails. Additionally, Mist Technologies provides MistCDN, a browser-based content delivery solution, and Webdrop, a tool for file exchange between browsers on the same local area network. As a subsidiary of Adways Inc., Mist Technologies focuses on enabling faster and more efficient content distribution among users in close geographical proximity.
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